Martyr
Martyr Andrew Stratelates
† ок. 300–302
Also known as: Андрей Стратилат, Андрей Стратилат и с ним 2593 мученика, Андрей Стратилат Киликийский, Andrew the Commander
A Roman commander who came to believe in Christ during a war with the Persians; baptised at Tarsus with his soldiers, he was put to death with them in the Taurus mountains around 300.
According to his Life, Andrew Stratelates ("the commander") led a detachment of the Roman army against the Persians under Emperor Maximian (Maximinus according to the Orthodox Encyclopedia). Though not yet baptised, he believed in Christ and persuaded his pagan soldiers to call on the God of the Christians; the small force defeated a much larger enemy.
Denounced as a Christian, he was tortured but would not deny Christ. Fearing unrest in the army, the authorities sought a pretext to do away with him. Andrew and 2,593 soldiers went to Bishop Peter in Tarsus and were baptised. Overtaken in a narrow pass of the Taurus mountains in Cilicia, they chose not to resist and were beheaded around 300–302; at Andrew's prayer a healing spring appeared on the spot. His memory on 19 August is found in Byzantine calendars, and in Rus' he was venerated from the eleventh century.